1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle pillar construction, and more particularly, to an improved occupant impact/energy absorbing arrangement for a vehicle pillar.
2. Background Art
Generally, many areas in a vehicle interior are now designed so as to function as both a finish cover surface for the vehicle and an impact energy absorbing surface if impacted by an occupant during a crash or emergency braking situation.
An area of particular concern is the portion of the vehicle interior where a pillar, such a B pillar, interfaces with a vehicle""s headliner. More specifically, if an occupant""s head were to impact the vehicle interior in this region, contact would likely be initiated with the headliner first, then with an energy absorbing treatment located over the pillar. This initial contact with the headliner can cause the occupant""s head to rotate about the neck during impact. This rotation can subsequently cause an unwanted acceleration of lower portions of the head into the pillar.
Accordingly, a need exists for an impact energy absorbing arrangement that can be used with a vehicle pillar that mitigates such rotation of an occupant""s head upon contact with the headliner.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a protuberance is designed and configured as part of an interior surface covering a vehicle pillar and butting a headliner surface so that if an occupant""s head were to forcibly strike the roof headliner directly above the pillar, the protuberance on the pillar surface would absorb at least a portion of the impact force as well as minimize potential rotation of the head about the occupant""s neck by being positioned so as to contact a portion of the occupant""s head at approximately the same time as contact would occur with the headliner.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an impact energy absorbing arrangement is provided for a vehicle interior, the vehicle including a relatively soft, energy-absorbing, roof headliner, and a pillar extending downwardly from the vehicle roof to partially define a front door opening and a rear door opening, wherein the energy absorbing arrangement includes a molded hard-surfaced plastic interior trim panel secured to the vehicle pillar so as to face a vehicle interior space. The trim panel includes an upper portion in edge contact with an exposed surface of the headliner, and a lower, vertically extending portion. The upper portion includes an impact absorbing surface, and the lower portion includes a impact absorbing surface. The upper impact surface is inwardly offset from the lower impact surface toward an occupant of the vehicle to form an upper protuberance in the trim panel extending to the headliner as a smooth continuation of the headliner exposed surface. This allows the upper contact surface to contact an occupant""s head at approximately the same time as contact with the headliner would occur, thereby minimizing rotation of the head and acceleration of a lower portion of the head into contact with the pillar or lower impact surface.